Starting a company can feel like a lonely business . But for a little more than $ 100 a month , Hong Kong resident Ken Chan can develop his start-up , network with like-minded people and relax with a game of ping-pong -- all under the same roof .

He is one of a growing number of go-it-alone entrepreneurs and freelancers in Asia leaving their apartments and cafes , and settling into `` co-working '' spaces .

At these shared offices , they get to work in what is usually a laid-back but professional environment . However , almost just as important for these nomadic workers are the social and emotional benefits of mingling with their own kind .

`` Coming here , you can feel supported by other people working on their businesses and feel less alone , '' said Chan , who goes to the co-working space CoCoon , where he works on his Internet start-up , wholedaybuy.com .

But Chan says not to underestimate the practical advantages of having actual office space in Hong Kong , where high rent makes a permanent office out of reach for many who are just starting out . `` If you want to meet a client , you want to have the space . It 's a physical location to gather people , '' he says .

Thought to have first started in San Francisco in 2005 with Citizen Space , co-working spaces are now widespread in the U.S. and Europe and are making headway in Asia , courting mostly people in their 20s and 30s working on projects solo or in small teams .

There are now dozens of such places in Tokyo , and a handful have opened in Shanghai and Hong Kong . The congested cities seem ready-made for co-working , with cramped apartments that could make working from home unpleasant -- and unimpressive for investors or clients .

And going it alone is just starting to catch on in Asia , where people traditionally strive to work for large corporations .

`` It 's only becoming acceptable to take the risk of starting tech start-ups or being a freelancer , '' says Constant Tedder , the British founder of The Hive in Hong Kong , a co-working space that opened in May .

The cost of going to The Hive ranges from $ 40 , for a day pass , to over $ 750 per month for a dedicated desk . Tedder sees the demand throughout Asia and is looking to expand to other cities in the region .

For freelancers , who often work in creative industries like design , stuffy cubicles just do not cut it , Tedder said .

`` There 's definitely this emerging segment of people who do n't want to project a corporate image , but they want a comfortable space to work , '' he says .

The Hive touches all the hallmarks that make co-working an attractive alternative to sitting in a coffee shop with a laptop : The space is open , desks equipped with power outlets are meant for sharing , members each get their own lockers , and enclosed meeting rooms provide privacy when needed . And , it hosts informative talks and networking events .

Most co-working spaces have a heavy component of building community and encouraging entrepreneurship -- some operators say breaking even is nice but not the primary goal .

At CoCoon , which occupies a sprawling 14,000 square feet and has a ping-pong table and meditation room , members must pass an application process , showing that they have something to offer the co-working community , whether it be a solid start-up idea , programming skills , mentorship or investment potential .

`` We think Hong Kong can use another place to foster entrepreneurs , and we hope talent can collaborate amongst themselves , '' says Erica Ma , one of CoCoon 's founders .

CoCoon charges $ 125 per month , which is unusually low , but the founders see the program as a kind of social enterprise to support start-ups and smaller businesses .

The space organizes regular events , including a recent talk on brand licensing and BarCamp , a technology conference that originated in the U.S.

Entrepreneurs say in the daily grind , which often means hours sitting in front of a laptop , it helps to know that others are doing the same thing . Yet people working on Internet start-ups do not get much support , as the field is still seen as unconventional in Hong Kong .

So for Jah Ying Chung , who is starting launchpilots.org , a site that helps young people get involved in social causes , going to CoCoon provides motivation .

`` It 's different when you 're always seeing people doing stuff that 's cool . It 's a big impetus , '' she says .

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Co-working spaces widespread in U.S. , Europe and making headway in Asia

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These places court mostly people in 20s , 30s working on projects solo or in small teams

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Freelancing catching on in Asia , where people traditionally work for large corporations

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Most co-working spaces seek to build community and encouraging entrepreneurship